February 8, 2007

USM to create five more healthcare-related schools

Star: KOTA BARU: Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) will create five more healthcare-related schools under the 9th Malaysia Plan.
Its Kubang Kerian campus director, Prof Datuk Mafauzy Mohamed, said the five are the School of Nutrition, School of Ophthalmology, School of Physical Therapy, School of Occupational Therapy and the School of Environmental Health.
Currently, the campus has a School of Medicine, School of Medical Science and School of Dentistry.
Prof Mafauzy said with the additional schools, present facilities at the campus would be expanded.
“USM is heading for an era of exciting things. It would also benefit the state of Kelantan as a whole,” he said.
The campus has around 2,500 undergraduates and post-graduate students.
Under the 9MP, the student population would increase to 5,000.
Prof Mafauzy said the training hospital here, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), would be expanded from 700 to 1,000 beds under the plan period.
He said the expansion was part of HUSM’s commitment to constantly improve its services and specialist treatment.
“We expect more specialised treatment to be available as HUSM plays an important regional role for medical care,” he added.
HUSM caters for Kelantan, Terengganu, northern Pahang, Kedah and northern Perak.
He said the hospital also accommodates patients from southern Thailand who have special referral.